Tremble and Spin
by Masika
Summary: Anyone besides me notice something going on between Wakka and Lulu? I wrote a slightly fluffy fic about the time at Gagazet mountain, though a few different events happen.


Tremble and Spin  
  
  
  
  
  
Boots crunching in the ever frozen snow, I trudged along slightly behind the others, Gagazet's frigid weather beginning to take it's toll on my partially bare legs. Wakka walked beside me, though a little distance away. We shared a comfortable silence, whereas Rikku chatted happily with Yuna, pretending, if only for a while to make all of us feel better, that nothing would happen. If only.  
  
I noticed how Tidus kept looking at Yuna. Love, longing, wistfulness, sorrow, joy. It was all there. Every last emotion one should show for a lover, especially one in such a predicament as Yuna's. I slapped myself mentally when I realized I envied Yuna. I wanted someone to love me like that.  
  
Wakka kept looking at me with a funny expression. I couldn't help but wonder what it was, but Wakka has a very clear face, so to speak. You can see right through his expressions to what he's really thinking. I couldn't this time, though.  
  
I started to fall back behind the rest of our group of guardians and summoner, deep in thought. Before I knew it the blitzball player was right next to me, stopped, and holding out his arm to stop me as well.  
  
"What's wrong, Lu?" he asked me.  
  
I could only shake my head. How could I tell him that all I wanted was to be loved as a lover would be, when instead I should be thinking about Yuna's life? Instead I only stared at that funny hook he's got in his hair. Why did he keep his hair like that, anyway? And how did it manage to stay in place during a blitzball game?  
  
"Uh, Lu? Your kinda in your own world there, ya? Come out and talk to me."  
  
I shook my head, the beads of my hair clinking together prettily. It reminded me of a wind on a grassy hill, maybe in the Calm Lands. Considering our current location, though, it was hard to imagine such a place. I began to walk again, knowing we had to catch up to the others.  
  
"I'm fine, Wakka. Really. Just thinking, is all."  
  
"You think too much, you know? What's wrong with you lately? Been staring off into space and stuff a lot."  
  
"It's nothing, Wakka," was all I said, resuming the usual pace the rest of the group was keeping up. Yuna was waving at us to hurry, a smile on her face. How did she do that, anyway? Smile so much, and at a time like this.  
  
"I don't believe you," he replied, keeping my pace with ease. He was shivering, though. I felt sorry for him. His chest was even barer than Tidus's, and that blitzball uniform he insisted on wearing didn't look too warm, either. I had my own cloak to wear, which was lined in fur. I think I was the warmest that entire time on Gagazet mountain, and even then I felt the cold in my bones.  
  
My thoughts taking over my mind once more, my pace had slowed again. Wakka looked a little worried, but I didn't noticed why until he waved his head at where the other were. Or had been. We had lagged so far behind that I couldn't even see Kimahri, and he was the slowest walker of all of us. I sighed.  
  
"You should have told me we were so far behind, Wakka," I chided him softly.  
  
"It doesn't matter," a soft voice said behind us. "You won't need to catch up to them. You won't live long enough."  
  
Wakka and I both whirled.  
  
"Seymour!" Wakka snarled.  
  
The blue haired man chuckled, though it sounded more like an impish giggle. I raised my arms, ready and waiting with a thundaga at my fingertips. Wakka already had his blitzball out, aiming at Seymour.  
  
"Oh, no," Seymour said silkily. "You don't have to fight me. I must hurry on to the others. You see, Yuna will be mine. Now and forever. So, I don't have time to deal with you. A pity, really. Anima! Come to me."  
  
My eyes widened as the chained...fish, or whatever it was, appeared before us. It seemed in even more pain than before, the links that bound it to Seymour cutting into it's flesh. I felt sorry for the poor aeon, as I had last time. I think I was the only one, however. Yuna may have, as well.  
  
"Hey, we dealt with this guy before, ya? We can take him!" Wakka cried to me optimistically.  
  
I always was a pessimist.  
  
"We had Tidus and Yuna with us then! Neither of us know any white magic, Wakka! I don't know if we can do this."  
  
"Won't know if we don't try," Wakka replied, dodging as Anima lashed out at him.  
  
Snarling a little, I launched a demi at Seymour's retreating form. It hit him dead on, and I hoped it weakened him for the others. But now, it was time to pray.  
  
"Extra crispy, anyone?" I asked sarcastically as I flung a firaga at Anima. I knew we were going to be in some deep trouble, real fast.  
  
Wakka threw his blitzball with a fury to delight a demon. I couldn't help but look over at him, as he deftly dodged an attack from the aeon. The man was quick. I should at least credit him with that.  
  
And so much more.  
  
"Let's take you down to size!" I challenged, running up behind Anima with a demi spell. The aeon screamed and whirled on me. I realized, just then, what a mistake I had made.  
  
I had only seem Anima unleash Oblivion once, and it wasn't pretty. It had taken Ixion down with a single swoop. And Ixion, unlike us, was an aeon. Almost invincible.  
  
I was hurled into the icy floor of our dueling area as the first wave of power hit me. Wakka cried out and flung himself on top of me, knowing what the second wave, the final wave, could do. I stared at him incredulously.  
  
"Wakka! What in Zanarkand's name do you think you're doing? Get off me! We must face Anima together!"  
  
"I don't think so, Lu," Wakka mumbled, already weak from the first jolt. "I'm going to protect you, ya? This time, I'll protect you."  
  
Memories flashed through my mind in an instant. That long distant day, Chappu had just left for the war. A rain fell, and it seemed like the stars were crying. Heaven was sighing, everyone on the planet was crying. It was a day like that. Besaid had been raided by a group of Al Bhed rebels whom hated both the Al Bhed and Yevon. They called themselves the Demon Dancers.  
  
I had been meditating to improve my skills in the Besaid temple. A really nasty one of the lot had invaded the temple, past all of the priests. I remember turning just as she entered the temple. She had dark hair, but her eyes were orange. And they glowed. Anyway, she attacked me, and Wakka had been right behind her, trying to get to me. I was critically injured, and I didn't think he ever forgave himself. Now I had my proof.  
  
"Damn it all, Wakka! Let me help you!" The light of Oblivion was now growing stronger and stronger around us. I knew Wakka would die if he stayed.  
  
"Lu, you can't..." he protested as I had already shoved him roughly to the side.  
  
"You're right, Wakka! I can't. But WE can."  
  
I stood and squared my shoulders to face the Oblivion blast that was coming our way. Anima had already become...whatever it was he became. Wakka stood near me, and I took his hand, drawing power from him. My arms raised, his hand still in mine, and with all the might both of us could muster, hurled an Ultima at Anima.  
  
We succeeded in blocking the Oblivion, but now Anima was seething with fury. I could tell it was almost gone, but I could also tell neither I nor Wakka had the strength to finish it.  
  
Anima let out a shriek that could wake the dead. It's head rolled back, it's eye glowed brighter than I had ever seen it, and it's wings snapped the chains that bound them.  
  
"Uh, Lu?" Wakka asked me shakily. "I think we really pissed it off, ya?"  
  
I nodded. "Time to go!"  
  
Tugging on his hand, we sprinted hard and fast toward the others. I knew they would be fighting Seymour by now, and we would have to deal with Anima on our own. Or, it would deal with us. Either way, I didn't like it.  
  
The ground started to shake beneath us, and I turned my head as we ran, looking at Anima. It's wings sliced viciously into the mountainside, and it's arms clawed at the frozen ground. It continued to scream, and I knew an avalanche would be coming soon. Oh, yes. We were in trouble.  
  
I turned back to where we were running. "Faster, Wakka!"  
  
"Faster? I can go twice this fast!"  
  
"Then do it!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"You'll get left behind."  
  
"Damn you, Wakka! Go!"  
  
I wasn't prepared for what Wakka did then. He yanked me in front of him and scooped me into his arms, increasing his speed just as promised. I cried out in surprise when he lifted me, and he grinned a little.  
  
Why is it that everyone but me can smile at a time like this?  
  
"Keep your head down, Lu. You'll be able to breathe against the wind better, you know?"  
  
"...Alright. And Wakka?"  
  
"Ya?"  
  
I leaned my head against his chest, nestling it in the crook of his neck. "Thank you."  
  
"He, no problem, Lu," he said to me, his breathing beginning to hitch in his throat.  
  
"Stop talking," I chided him gently. "You'll run out of air before we can reach the others."  
  
"Could you toss me a potion, Lu?"  
  
"Of course," I said, pulling a potion out of a pocket it my cloak. I tipped it up to his lips quickly so he wouldn't miss to much air. Consistency was important with breathing. Especially when one had to run as hard and fast as Wakka was having to, and he had to carry me. I swore then that I'd make it up to him. After all, he was saving my life.  
  
The shaking underneath us grew in magnitude. I looked over Wakka's shoulder, and Anima was breaking the ground as it followed us. I gripped Wakka's shoulders tightly.  
  
"Wakka! The ground underneath us will break!"  
  
"Then I'll just have to run faster, you know?"  
  
"...I know."  
  
"Good. Hang on tight, Lu."  
  
I did just that as his pace increased mightily. I have to say, I was impressed. Anima was slowly falling behind. How Wakka could outrun an aeon was completely beyond me, but I wasn't complaining.  
  
He still couldn't beat the ground, though.  
  
I noticed the crack ahead of us only when it was too late. Wakka stepped right on it, and we both fell through the broken bridge. He stubbornly held onto me tightly. I thought he must have been insane, or maybe Anima hit his head too hard.  
  
Wakka hit the snow first, and I landed on top of him. Snow caved in around us, and I found myself in a small cavern of only snow, myself and Wakka. We both took a moment to catch out breath.  
  
"Now it's my turn to help us," I said stubbornly. He did so much for me on the way here, that I would be damned if I didn't help him.  
  
I rolled over so that my back was against his chest, and concentrated my energy. I thrust my hands into the snow above us, which isn't as easy as it sounds. The firaga was unleashed in a great whirlwind of fire, and we were drenched by the time all the snow above us melted. I smiled at the sunlight.  
  
I looked at Wakka, the funny smile still on my face. He grinned at me.  
  
"You're smiling, Lu," he teased.  
  
I gasped and touched my fingers to my lips. They were indeed curved. I sighed, but smiled at him again.  
  
"Yes, I suppose I am. But now, we need to get out of here."  
  
He nodded. "Right. You go first, ya?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
Climbing out really isn't as easy as it sounds. I kept falling back in, which meant falling on Wakka. Each time, I made a grumpy sound and tried again, and he wouldn't stop grinning at me. What are you grinning at, Wakka? was all I wanted to ask, but I didn't.  
  
"Maybe you should just fire a path out of here, ya?"  
  
"I already did, Wakka," I said impatiently. I was getting annoyed that I couldn't climb out.  
  
Wakka stood where I had been and caught me in his arms. He stared into my eyes intently, and I wasn't sure what he was thinking.  
  
"Do we really have to leave now, Lu? It can wait a few minutes."  
  
Then it hit me.  
  
He was looking at me like Tidus looked at Yuna.  
  
I blinked several times, trying to make sense of my thoughts. My heart had never thundered when a man walked into a room, my knees had never gone weak. My heart was thundering now, though.  
  
"Um, alright, but just a few minutes!" I said, flustered.  
  
He smiled at me then. I tried to stand on my own, but he wouldn't let me go. He just sat down again in the snow, and I ended up on his lap, his arms around my shoulders.  
  
"Wakka? He couldn't possibly be interested, could he?"  
  
"I could," he said quietly.  
  
I gasped. "Oops! I didn't realize I had said that out loud."  
  
"Well, you did, you know?"  
  
"Wait. You said...you could be interested in me?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
I looked at him, square in the eye, and our noses ended up less than in inch apart.  
  
"Wakka, I--"  
  
I never finished that sentence.  
  
His lips had already found mine. Underneath all that snow and sunlight, I was kissed for the first time. Really kissed. Wakka held me tighter, fearing that I would leave. Treating me like I was fragile.  
  
I loved every second of it.  
  
I leaned in closer, my arms wrapped around his back on their own accord. I felt like I had grown wings, I was so happy. I hoped that Yuna felt this way around Tidus. It was the purest euphoria one could every hope for.  
  
I started to tremble. Don't ask me why. I just did. Wakka only pressed me harder against his chest, and I only snuggled in deeper. I think it was then I truly loved him.  
  
My thoughts were spinning and my body was trembling. So, this is what I did when I found happiness that day, and found it with Wakka.  
  
Tremble and spin.  
  
~Owari~  
  
We tremble and spin  
  
Suspended within  
  
Look beyond  
  
Where hearts can see  
  
Dream in peace  
  
Trust love,  
  
Believe...  
  
(The Dream Within - Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within) 


End file.
